


Keep Calm

by NuwandaSnicket



Category: Supernatural
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe- No Supernatural, Castiel/Dean Winchester One Shot, Drabble, Fireman Dean, Gabriel is a cat, M/M, Meet-Cute, One Shot
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-13
Updated: 2016-02-13
Packaged: 2018-05-20 00:50:34
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,090
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5986719
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NuwandaSnicket/pseuds/NuwandaSnicket
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Castiel's cat escapes up a tree, he has no choice but to call the fire department.  Unfortunately for him, they send the sexiest fireman they have.  Or is it fortunately?<br/>One-shot piece of fluff inspired by a photo I found on facebook.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Keep Calm

**Author's Note:**

> The idea came when I saw this photo. There are so many fireman!Dean AUs that I immediately pictured him and this story came to mind.
> 
>  
> 
> [](http://smg.photobucket.com/user/el_snicket/media/fireman_zpsi2crtfjo.jpg.html)  
> 

[](http://smg.photobucket.com/user/el_snicket/media/fireman%20dean%20collage%202_zpskzrdph9q.jpg.html)

 

As a college professor, Castiel was well familiar with the emotion of frustration. Teaching was an everyday irritant. Kids could get under your skin easier than anything. Castiel had been at it for years; he dealt with it every day. And yet despite all that, Castiel couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt quite this frustrated. He could feel the eyes on him, neighbors gathered to watch the show. Because it WAS a show. He glared up into the tree, where he could just barely see the tiny, furry face of his calico cat, Gabriel, peeking down at him. “You are an insufferable brat,” he growled.

If Gabriel understood (and Castiel knew he did, he just KNEW it, the little bastard), he gave no sign of it, merely twitched his tail. Castiel would swear the little furball was smiling at him. SMILING. The cat was totally loving all the trouble he was causing.

So were his neighbors, if the continuously growing crowd was anything to go by. And the fact that the fire department was on its way was only going to make things worse. Cas hadn’t wanted to call them, the _last_ thing he’d wanted to do was call the fire department, but he’d had no choice. Gabriel was out of reach, and he was not an outdoor cat by any stretch of the imagination. One time Castiel had seen a mouse walk right past Gabriel to his dish and help himself to the wet food, while Gabriel watched and did nothing. _Some cat_. He would _never_ survive outdoors.

There was the sound of a car door shutting, and Castiel wondered idly if people were starting to call their friends to come watch. It couldn’t be the fire department. He would have heard the truck. Oh God, the truck. He buried his face in his hands. How embarrassing.

“Hey.”

The voice was warm and friendly. Cas turned at the sound of it, coming face to face with….

At first, all he saw was green. Gorgeous, sparkling green eyes, a shade of candy apple that he couldn’t ever recall seeing on a human being before, never saw outside of artwork. _That color shouldn’t be **legal**_ , he thought, somewhat dizzily. But he didn’t have time to focus on that, for now he was seeing the smile, and it was equally captivating, blindingly carefree and slightly crooked.

Castiel was smitten.

He tried to speak and found that his mouth was dry. Somehow he managed a cough, swallowed with some difficulty, and tried again. “Hello.” There. That was somewhat intelligent. But really, who could blame him for being flustered? Who was this Greek god and what was he doing here in Castiel’s yard?

The man seemed somehow to read Cas’ mind, offering a hand. “Dean Winchester.” Cas accepted and shook, confusion still running through him. Dean cocked a brow and God, he really was beautiful. “You Castiel Novak?”

Cas nodded his head. Words really were coming hard. He didn’t give a shit if this man had come here to stare and laugh at him. This man could probably do anything short of burning down his house and he wouldn’t care. Then his gaze was caught by the man’s pants. Fireman’s pants. He blinked his eyes, convinced he had to be seeing things, but there was no doubt about it. He looked up at Dean with wide, disbelieving eyes. “You…..you’re the fireman?”

Dean nodded. “Yup.”

“But….” He stared. “You’re not in uniform.” For Dean only wore the pants, nothing more, and he had obviously driven his own car there.

“Yea….” Dean ran his hands over his chest, smoothing out his shirt. “I was on my way home from work after my shift. I live just down the road so I said I’d check out the situation, see if you needed the truck or if it was something I could do on my own.”

“Oh.” Cas felt an overwhelming sensation of guilt, that Dean had to come here rather than going straight home after work. Then his gaze was drawn to Dean’s hands….strong hands, worker’s hands…..and then he saw it. Dean’s shirt, the slogan there. _‘Keep Calm and Let Me Save Your Kitty (It’s Okay. I’m a Fireman)’_. His eyes widened. “Oh my God. Your shirt.”

Dean’s brow furrowed with puzzlement and then lit up with remembrance. “Oh!” He laughed. “Yea. Ironic, huh? Of all the days to wear this.”

“Seriously.” Cas couldn’t help the smile as he took in the sight. The shirt clung to Dean’s chest in all the right places and the sleeves were tight to his muscular upper arms. Cas couldn’t tear his eyes away. 

“Cas?”

Dean’s voice tore Castiel from his thoughts and he jumped, flushing red in humiliation at being caught ogling Dean’s muscles. Dean, however, didn’t look one bit bothered. No, Cas was actually surprised to see that Dean’s cheeks were slightly flushed as well, a tinge of a blush there. He smiled. “Where’s your cat?”

“Oh.” Cas gestured. “This way.” He turned away, leading Dean towards the tree where Gabriel was perched. He could no longer see Dean, but he could hear the man following him, feel the heat of those green eyes on him.

He stopped in front of the tree. “Here it is.” 

Dean looked the tree over, assessing it. “Not too bad.” For honestly, it wasn’t an extremely tall tree. “And you couldn’t get him?”

Castiel’s face burned once more with embarrassment at his own incompetence. “I’m not much of a climber.”

Dean turned to Cas, looking him over appraisingly. Cas could feel heat rise in him under that gaze. “I’m surprised,” Dean said. “You’ve got a good body.” Castiel felt shock hit him, and surprisingly, Dean looked as if he felt just the same, his face flushing crimson, green eyes going wide. “I mean, good for climbing! I didn’t….” but words weren’t coming so well to Dean just then, and he shut his mouth. “Sorry,” he mumbled.

Castiel was still staring at Dean, so completely caught by surprise. Then, finally, he began to laugh.

Dean’s head whipped up, startled. But he couldn’t help it. Watching Cas there, blue eyes crinkled, head tilted back to expose his throat, Dean had to laugh as well. There was just something about Castiel that put him at ease, made him so comfortable. Something that felt like home.

As the laughter died away, Cas looked to Dean, his eyes twinkling. “A good body, huh?”

Dean grinned. “Damn straight.”

Cas just shook his head and, with more boldness than he ever would have thought he possessed, said “okay, Casanova, enough flirting. Let’s get my cat out of that tree.”

Dean just laughed, pleased to hear Cas opening up more. “Aww, I’m not allowed to flirt with you?” He moved closer to the tree to get a better look at the cat. 

“What,” Cas ducked the question, answering instead with one of his own, “is that a usual perk of the job?”

“No. In fact, usually we discourage it.” Dean glanced at Cas, that beautiful crooked smile on his face. “I was just hoping that this time I might bend the rules a little.”

“Oh you were, were you?” Castiel watched as Dean began to climb into the tree. “And why is that?”

Dean paused in his climbing to look down at Cas and grin. “Because you’re completely adorable and sexy as fuck.” Without waiting for a response, he continued climbing, leaving Castiel standing below him with burning cheeks. “Hey, there,” he said softly, clearly to Gabriel. “C’mere, bud. Hey,” he called down to Cas. “What’s his name?”

“Gabriel,” Castiel replied. He strained his eyes to see but both man and cat were obscured by leaves.

“Hey there, Gabriel.” Dean’s voice was soft, almost a coo, and Cas couldn’t help but smile. “C’mere, baby boy.” It was mere moments before he reappeared, Gabriel in his arms, climbing his way back down the trunk. “You got him?” He offered the cat to Cas, who nodded and carefully took the troublesome beast.

“You little brat,” he scolded. Of course, Gabriel was purring, and wiggling about as he was wont to do.

Dean was once more by Cas’ side, a grin on his face. “Your cat’s name is Gabriel?” There was amusement in his voice as he watched Castiel struggle with the wriggling cat.

“Yes.” Cas managed to get a grip on the animal. “Though in hindsight I often think I would have been better off naming him Loki.”

“Loki?” Cas waited for the inevitable confusion, but it never came. “As in the Norse trickster god?”

Castiel’s jaw had dropped. He knew he was staring but he couldn’t help it. “Y..yes,” he stammered. Despite his profession as a teacher, most men he ended up dating still weren’t versed in mythology. This was a complete surprise. Dean grinned at the shock on Castiel’s face.

“Always liked mythology, though I have to say, Greek is my favorite.” He gently scratched Gabriel under the chin. “Egyptians woulda loved you, though,” he murmured to the cat. “Worshiped you alongside Bast.”

Sweet, funny, AND intelligent? It was official. Castiel was in love.

Gabriel took advantage of his owner’s distraction and wriggled free. Cas cried out in dismay; getting the damn cat out of the tree had been enough of a nuisance one time around. Then again, now he would get to see Dean climb a tree again. His attention wandered once more as he reminisced on how Dean had looked, shirt stretched tight across his firm chest and tight arm muscles….

But Gabriel didn’t seem to have plans to go far; no. He had run up Dean’s chest (much to the man’s surprise, if the look on his face was any indication), and settled his fluffy self on the fireman’s broad shoulders. Dean’s startled expression made Castiel laugh aloud, and after a moment, Dean joined him. “Guess your cat likes me,” he said with a grin.

Cas stepped closer to scratch Gabriel behind the ears. “Looks that way,” he agreed.

Dean’s smile faltered ever so slightly, growing somewhat….shy? “How about you?” he asked. “Do _you_ like me?”

Castiel was taken aback by the foreword question. “I…” He could feel his cheeks turning bright red, even moreso when Dean’s smile lost that shy edge at the sight of Cas’ blush, growing more sure and confident. That smile was infectious. He nodded. “I do.”

“Oh, good.” Dean’s smile was back to that cocksure grin that Cas had fallen for on first sight. “Didn’t know how else I was gonna find my way back here. Thought I was gonna have to bribe Gabriel here to run away from you again.”

Castiel burst into laughter, finally shaking his head. “No,” he said solemnly. “I don’t believe you’ll have to do that.”

“Good.” Dean watched with rapt fascination as Castiel, so retiring until now, pulled a pen out of his pocket and, uncapping it with his teeth, took Dean’s hand into his own. “What’re you doing?”

Cas finished his messy scrawl, capping the pen again. “Giving you my number.”

Dean flushed happily as he regarded the phone number written on his hand. “Oh.” He looked up at Cas, that beautiful smile on his face. God, Castiel could look at that smile all day. Dean reached for Castiel and then paused. “Can I kiss you now?”

The question was so serious and yet hopeful. Cas laughed and nodded, winding his arms around Dean’s neck as the man pulled him close.

_God_ , his lips were soft, his hands warm at the small of Cas’ back. It felt so good wrapped in those arms, so safe, and Castiel never wanted to leave, a tiny whine escaping as Dean pulled away.

…..then again, there was something to be said for that smile. And those green eyes. He supposed the kissing could use a break SOMETIMES.

“So,” Dean’s voice was soft, and slightly breathless, “what’re you up to today?”

Cas wracked his brain. Honestly, this morning’s activities (specifically Dean) had made it incredibly hard to have a coherent thought. “Nothing,” he said at last. “Why?”

Dean shrugged. “Just thought maybe we could do something? If you wanted.”

A brilliant smile spread over Castiel’s face. “I’d love to.” He arched a brow. “Would you like to have lunch?”

Dean’s face was aglow. “That sounds great.”

“I was just making lunch when Gabriel….” A thought hit. Gabriel. He had been on Dean’s shoulders before they kissed. Cas looked…..no, he wasn’t there now.

Dean was clearly having the same thoughts, for his eyes were wide, hands going to his now empty shoulders. “Shit!” Both men’s attentions flew to the tree and sure enough, there sat Gabriel. More than anything else, he looked irritated, as if he were thinking ‘how _dare_ you ignore me in favor of kissing?’

Dean looked to Cas, grinning. “Guess I better get him down again.”

Castiel’s face was half hidden by both palms, only his eyes visible. “I’m so sorry.” 

But Dean only laughed. “Don’t be. We weren’t paying attention. Naturally he’d run away.” Then he paused, taking a good look at Cas, and, grinning, reached out to gently pinch Castiel’s cheek. “You’re cute when you blush.” With that he was off and climbing up the tree, leaving Castiel behind him, blushing so hard he was about to faint from overheating. He stood watching Dean up there in the tree, gently coaxing Gabriel, and the cat came willingly into his arms. Gabriel didn’t come willingly to ANYONE. It was official: Dean was special, and in more ways than one.

He realized that those green eyes were watching him back, a tiny smile curving over those plump lips. Dean held up Gabriel. “Got him.” 

“Here.” Castiel offered his arms up and Dean carefully passed the cat down. Cas smiled up at Dean. “Ready for lunch?”

Dean jumped down from the tree, landing before Cas with a smile and a nod. “Lead the way.”

 

**~Two Years Later~**

 

“Dean!” Castiel’s voice was plaintive. “The cat got out again!”

“Goddammit!” Dean tossed aside the newspaper he’d been reading and shoved his chair back. “Thank God we got him that collar.”

“Seriously.” Over the past two years, Gabriel had managed to get outside a handful of times. Cas had eventually suggested they buy him a collar….just in case. 

Cas caught Dean on his way to the door, grabbing him by the front of his shirt and hauling him in for a kiss. “I love you,” he murmured. “And I appreciate you always hauling our stupid-ass cat back inside.”

Dean’s face broke into a huge smile at Cas referring to Gabriel as _their_ cat. He always did, but it was something Dean would never get tired of. _Our_ cat, _our_ house….every single “our” made Dean happier than he could say. “I do what I can.” With that he headed outside. 

Gabriel was in his usual tree. When he saw Dean, he meowed loudly. “Yea, yea, I hear you.” He raised a brow at the cat. “You’re a pain in the ass, you know that?” Gabriel simply meowed again. “I know, I’m coming to get you.” And he set to climbing. It didn’t take long. Gabriel never climbed very far. He seemed to enjoy going just far enough to be irritating.

Sitting on the branch beside Gabriel, Dean pulled the cat into his arms. “You’re such a brat.” He stroked the cat’s soft head affectionately. It was then that he noticed something out of place….something on the cat’s collar. With trembling fingers he touched the shiny silver band looped through the purple cat collar, his heart racing. It was all he could do not to fall out of the tree. “Cas!” he hollered.

“Yes?” The voice was so close, just below him. Dean didn’t know that he had ever moved faster, sliding from the tree with the cat in his arms. Castiel was there waiting for him, a shy smile on his face. _He_ had let the cat out. That fucker had let Gabriel out on purpose, all to set this moment up.

“Cas,” he breathed. “This….” His finger brushed the ring dangling from the cat’s collar. “Does this mean….”

“Yes.” Cas moved closer. His hands went to Gabriel’s collar and unfastened it, carefully sliding the ring off and, to Dean’s disbelief, went to one knee. “Dean Winchester….will you marry me?”

Then Gabriel was slipping through Dean’s fingers with a noise of indignation and Dean was on his knees, hands cupping Castiel’s face as he kissed him with everything he had. “Yes,” he whispered when the kiss broke, foreheads pressed together. “ _Yes_.”

Cas laughed almost brokenly with joy, taking Dean’s hand to slip the ring on his finger. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” Dean replied. “So Goddamn much.”

Castiel opened his mouth but whatever he was about to say was interrupted by a whining meow. “Is that….” He looked around. “Fuck. Is he….”

Both men looked to the tree. Gabriel could just barely be seen on the lowest of the branches. He let out another meow.

Dean and Cas both groaned, Dean shaking his head. “What IS it with this cat?”

“Certainly keeps you on your toes.”

“Tell me about it. You know, when I became a fireman, I never thought I’d spend so much damn time rescuing cats from trees.”

Cas laughed. “Guess it’s different when it’s your own.”

“Guess so.” Dean leaned in for another kiss, then rose to his feet, returning to the tree. Luckily this time, Gabriel made no effort to climb higher and instead moved right into his arms. “Goddammit, cat.” Dean shook his head as he pet the calico. “You are one huge pain in the ass.”

“Cute, though.”

Dean smiled. “Like me?”

Castiel laughed. “Oh you are FAR more than cute.”

“Good to know.” Dean gently nudged his nose against Castiel’s. “I love you,” he murmured. “My fiancé.”

Castiel’s happiness radiated from him; he cupped Dean’s face, careful not to get too close lest he squish the cat. “Fiancé…..I like the sound of that.”

Dean smiled. “Me too.” He kissed Cas. “Now, let’s go inside before this damn cat gets away again.”

Cas burst out laughing. “That sounds like a good idea.” He wrapped an arm around Dean’s shoulders and the two headed inside to spend the rest of their long evening together in bed, curled around one another, planning their wedding and looking forward to every last moment of their life together.

 

**~fin~**


End file.
